Ohio EdChoice is a scholarship program that gives state-funded vouchers to students. These vouchers help cover tuition at certain private schools in Ohio.
As of 2024, 12 states have enacted universal or near-universal Education Savings Account (ESA) programs, with Arizona's program alone serving over 75,000 students — making state-funded homeschooling more accessible than ever (EdChoice, 2024). According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), approximately 3.3 million students were homeschooled in the United States as of 2023, representing roughly 6% of the school-age population.
What is Ohio edchoice?
Ohio EdChoice is a program offering state-funded vouchers for students to attend private schools. Thanks to House Bill 33 from July 2023, nearly all K-12 students in Ohio can now apply, except those in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, which has its own programs. There are two main types: Traditional EdChoice for kids from lower-performing public schools and EdChoice Expansion for families based on income. Families can apply through the EdChoice portal, and the scholarships go straight to the private schools.
Program types
The Traditional EdChoice track is for students in public schools that are in the lowest 20% for performance. Your local school must have a three-year average showing that at least 20% of its students qualify for Title I funds. The EdChoice Expansion track offers help based on family income, available to all students, regardless of their public school’s performance. Families can earn up to 450% of the Federal Poverty Level to receive full scholarships, while higher earners get a prorated amount.
Can homeschoolers use edchoice?
Sadly, homeschoolers can’t use EdChoice scholarships for their expenses. The program only pays for tuition at private schools. Homeschool families can't apply voucher funds for things like curriculum, tutoring, or co-ops. However, if your homeschooled child has never attended public school and meets other criteria, they might be able to use EdChoice to switch to a private school. Ohio does have a separate Home Education Tax Credit worth up to $250 each year for homeschool costs, and there are plans to raise this to $2,000 under Senate Bill 11.
The bottom line
Ohio EdChoice is a great financial option for families choosing private school. With its broad eligibility, it’s accessible to many students in Ohio. But for homeschool families, it’s not the right fit since it only covers tuition. If you’re homeschooling in Ohio, consider the Home Education Tax Credit instead and keep an eye on potential changes that might support homeschoolers in the future. If you’re thinking about moving from homeschool to private school, check if EdChoice can help with that transition.
